Friday, 18 April 2014

Short film review: FIRST DATE (2012) Directed by Blair Richardson

There's so many great short films being made from some fabulous young talent, and it's still amazing when you discover more. Writer/director Blair Richardson recently invited me to view her two horror shorts; the second, Kitty Kitty, was funded via Indiegogo, and you can find the reviewed here.First Date is a simple, ultra-short (3 minutes) which presents a familiar situation for all of us... the preparation for a first date. Shot from a low angle, we see a woman (Ashton Nicole), fresh from the shower, getting dressed and ready for her big night.
Incredibly sexy and provocatively filmed, with lingering shots of various parts of the lovely lady's body (there is nudity, but nothing explicit and it's handled sensually rather than exploitative), and set to a sultry if off-kilter song (Kill, Kill by Elizabeth Grant - you may know her better as Lana Del Rey), the woman looks through the window to see her date pull up in his car.
Popping a mint to ensure fresh breath, the man (Jason Roy Jones) exudes confidence, and can't resist a wry smile to himself at what will probably be another sexual conquest. As he waits at the door, the woman glides seductively down the stairs to greet him - still only clad in lingerie. It's clear what is going to occur - or is it?

Everything about this short film works. As mentioned, the music, camerawork, and suggestive and sexy shot selection all provide the right amount of build-up for the dénouement. It also keeps you guessing as to what the inevitable twist will be. Is the woman transgender? Will the man turn out to be a serial killer? The real twist is fun, and very satisfying - and did bring to mind a classic Monty Python sketch, which certainly raised a smile - although that may not have been the intention. First Date is a cracking short, worthy of anyone's time - and you can check it out in full below. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. Now go and read my review of Blair's next short, Kitty Kitty.9 out of 10